Re Formating Orb

[Donny]

Has anyone out their had trouble reformating their ORB drive? I've been trying to sence last night. Tried 6 times, cgange cables twice. The drive looks like it's formating each time. When it gets to the end after an hour and 45 min. instead of saying completed like it should the FD-4 says format. I've tried rebooting the FD-4 by it self and also the ORB and also together nothing seems to work. HELP!!! Donny!!!

[jet-rocker]

On the FD-8, when formatting is complete, it still says format.

I use an orb drive too.

But in the upper right corner outlined in black, should be a very small 'complete'.

I'm not happy with the reliability of this line in general, as soon as I can I'm going to get something else, not made by Fostex.

anyway.
good luck.

-jett-rocker

[Donny]

Thanks jet-rocker. Another question, do you use a terinator on your ORB drive? I just put one on and trying again. Donny!!!

[Donny]

The terminator worked. Really strange when I first got the ORB drive I was able to format it without the terminator but got those nasty blank spots in the middle of 10 of my songs. Wonder what it will do now? I'm going to record my lead singer later this week so I'll put it through it paceses. I'll let ya all know how I make out. Donny!!!

[jet-rocker]

Yeah, please let me know if there is a cure for those blank spots. They are driving me mad.

b.t.w. what is a terminator?

Jett-rocker

[Donny]

Okay, a terinator is a little plug that goes into the output of the drive. All SUSI lines must have one or they won't see the drives. The SyQuest 230mb drive that came with FD-4 said it didn't need one. When I got the ORB I hooked it up the same way without the terimator and it formatted fine. That's when all the trouble started, blank spots, sound over sound, not seeing the drive right away and so on. I just happend to have one on an ooold computer that's just taking up space so I put it on and everything started working grate. You can get one at most computer stores. I would guess like anything SUSI it might cost a few bucks but if it makes the thing work spring for one. Later, Donny!!!

[Donny]

Hold on people I just tried to record a tune to see how things were working. The first program gave me a nasty skip so I tried again on a new program and it did the same thing.(DAMMMM)!!! I'm reformatting yet another time, (last time it took 40 min.) and then I'll try again. Might give the SyQuest drive a try if this still doesn't work. Sure would defeat the purpose of that 2.2 gigs. Maybe Fostex wants it that way so you have to spring for an internel drive. We'll see, LATER, Donny!!!

[skippy]

Two things I do know. SCSI chains are extremely sensitive to termination issues: if they are not properly terminated the resulting noise on the SCSI bus can lead to all manner of grief. The basic rules of SCSI are 1: keep it short, 2: keep it neat, and 3: you must have a proper termination at the end of the daisychain. Sounds like you have that now, so this is just a rehash for anyone who doesn't know that.

The other thing comes from having done some extensive altavista and dejanews searches when trying to choose a backup device to buy for my D1624. You don't want to hear this, probably- but please don't shoot the messenger. The consensus on dejanews was that the Orb drive/Fostex _anything_ combination was extremely flakey (even when it did appear to work), and worse yet that it would appear to work for backups, but then _fail for restores_- leading to a false sense of security and irretrieveably lost data. I saw roughly 15 articles claiming that the Orb drive was little more than a doorstop when used with a Fostex box, and only one from someone who was having success with it. And that same person later posted an article describing a restore failure, IIRC.

I don't know this for sure, but it appeared to me based on those articles that the Orb drive was not a win. But don't feel bad: instead of an Orb, I foolishly bought a Yamaha CD-RW drive to backup onto, and the Fostex can't write to it at all. It just sits and grinds forever. Looks like their list of "operation-confirmed" drives from the website is for real. Don't just take my word for it, though- do the dejanews search on Fostex and orb...

I'm a little burned, too. Sorry for the bad news, but it may not be possible to get the Orb drive to work reliably. Sigh.

[jet-rocker]

before I got the orb drive I searched here, to see if it was an option. In the archives there were plenty of happy fostex/orb users. (Where are they now?)

The biggest joke is that the fostex according to their own literature was supposedly 'media independent'. I'm sorry but a recorder that is only compatible with zip drives on normal mode (two tracks total) just doesn't cut it.

I got a new orb in the mail, they replaced it no questions asked (imagine that) and if the fostex doesn't work with it. Then fostex goes on ebay. I got mine dirt cheap. $400 closeout. So I should be able to recoup most of the cost. What a sleazy company this fostex is. I guess the moral of the story is; never buy anything from them again.

-Jett Rocker

[Donny]

Well this is what happend,(this time), after the upteenth time reformatting I finally got one song recorded good and I tried a little over-dubbing. It was working the way it should so when I get my lead singer over here I'll have to check each song right away to make sure I get it. I've been fighting sence January with this thing. If after all this I can't use it the way I wanted I'm going to be real Pissed!!! For a few more bucks I could have got a good lap top and with the software and the mixer I all ready have I, (well you know the rest). I also bought the ORB because of all that I read here. Guess ya just can't belive all you read. But so many people raving about this thing. Your right where are they now? That's all I have to say about this for now. LATER, Donny!!!

[jet-rocker]

By the way just now, my second ORB drive's engine burnt out, immediately after plugging it in. Burning smell and everything. Man, I'm starting to get pissed. I've wasted way too much time with this I think the fostex is going on ebay for sure, and I'm going to demand a refund for the ORB.

Later.
Jett Rocker

[Donny]

I understand jet-rocker. I haven't had a burnout yet but don't think anything supprises me now. Sence I last used it everything is working okay. Just in case something does go wrong I'm going to pick up a mike pre-amp in the morning so when my singer gets here I WILL GET MY WORK DONE!! One way or the other. I'll keep ya posted on how things go. Later, Donny!!!

[Philly]

So, basically, everyone should sell their fostex fd4/8s and go to a different company?
Is it just their digital stuff? Coz I thought they were quite a good company- shows what i know
We're gonna try the Boss BR-8 next- maybe that'll turn out better!!
FiL.

[jet-rocker]

I've been sucessful getting a refund from the orb people. Good customer service, what an original idea. Now... I wouldn't feel so bad about putting a fostex installed hard drive in the fd-8 beast.

But I am fearful of throwing good money after bad, and I'm not convinced that the fostex is in perfect working order either.

So I'll send it to them and I'll let you know what happens.

-Jett Rocker

[Philly]

We're just cutting our losses. Might even be able to make a profit on the sale of the FD4- it really was dirt cheap!
hooray for fostex, eh?